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Page 151:-
[Der]went-water, probably raised on the ruins of the Roman
fortress: but after the heiress of that family was married to
Ratcliff's, the family seat was removed into Northumberland, and
the castle went to ruins; and with the stones thereof the
Ratcliff's built a house of pleasure in one of the islands in
Derwent-water [1]. The name Castle-hill, being more ancient than
the last erection, is still retained. At Ambleside, when I
enquired for the Roman station, a few years ago, no person could
inform me of it, till one considering my description, answered,
it is the castle. The station at Plumpton is called by the same
name; and at Kendal, the castellum that overlooks the station, is
also called the Castle-steads. So here the Castle-hill was
probably the place of the summer station; but being a fruitful
tract, and much ploughed, I have not been able to trace any
appearance of a foss, or vallum, and therefore the whole must
rest upon the necessity, or at least on the expediency, of a
station here.- Since the above was written, an urn, with other
remains, were turned up by the plough, in a field below the town,
and said to be Roman.
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